


Safe

by blahblahwoofwoof



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Inspired by The Accidental Warlord and His Pack Series - inexplicifics, OMC is Aleksander and created by inexpicifics, Torture and Mild Gore (very brief)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-13 05:15:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28648158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blahblahwoofwoof/pseuds/blahblahwoofwoof
Summary: “Hello Livi,” he purrs, “hold still now, I need to do this for your protection.”
Comments: 21
Kudos: 271





	Safe

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Into the Light Out of Darkness](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28372836) by [inexplicifics](https://archiveofourown.org/users/inexplicifics/pseuds/inexplicifics). 



> Hello! This little vignette is inspired by the Very Awesome inexplicific's The Accidental Warlord series, the (current) latest work in particular: Into The Light Out of Darkness. inexplicific has created a rich AU for us to play in, not least of which is the array of captivating original characters - this is about someone new she has introduced to us: Aleksander. Thank you inexplicific, not just for this wonderful AU, nor just for your generous permission to play in it, but all your kindness and generosity to those of us who cannot get enough of it and your excellent writing!! <3

The torches lining the walls of the dungeon flicker slightly as Aleksander closes the door behind him. He moves towards the stone table in the middle of the room where Livi is restrained, leather straps across her ankles, wrists, torso and neck holding her painfully immobile. Aleksander picks up the dagger lying on stone table and leans over her, looking into her wide eyes.

“Hello Livi,” he purrs, “hold still now, I need to do this for your protection.”

“Please, Sasha,”, Livi pants, struggling against the bonds but barely able to move, “protect me from who?”

“From me,” Aleksander smiles at her and, holding her head firmly with one hand, uses the other to slowly slice her face open, marking a line from her brow, through her eyelid and down her cheek. He drinks in her screams and sobs, stepping back to admire his handiwork.

“Little wolf, please, stop.”

Aleksander turns to the cage behind him. Aiden is pressed against the bars, reaching out to him, emaciated, scarred, bruised and bleeding — 

Gasping Aleksander bolts upright in bed, flinging an arm before him as to ward off the images from his dream, his friends tortured by his own hands, the visceral memory of cutting dear Livi’s face, _of enjoying it_. Bile rises in his throat and he scrambles to get off the bed, feet tangling in the sheets as he falls, retching and vomiting onto the rug.

When it seems there is nothing left to bring up and the heaving finally stops he sits up, drawing a shaking hand across his mouth. Well, that was the end of sleep for the night. Disentangling himself from the sheet he stands up carefully, taking a moment to breathe deeply before fetching an old shirt and, using water from the jug by his bed, cleans up the mess he’d made of the rug as best he can.

He sits on the edge of the bed trying to find calm, but he is overcome by a sense of claustrophobia- suddenly he can’t stand being here a moment longer. It is the work of a moment to throw on a fresh shirt and pants and flee his rooms, heading up to top of the keep.

It is a full moon night, the parapet illuminated before him. Aleksander breathes a sigh of relief and steps to the wall, looking out at Kaer Morhen and the mountains laid out before him, bathed in the moonlight. Still. Peaceful. Safe.

Even though it is the height of summer, Kaer Morhen is always cooler than Aleksander’s used to, but now he relishes the chill of the breeze that blows over the battlements and straight through his light clothing. He shivers slightly, trying to breathe more slowly, and pets the rough stone beneath his hands, focusing on what he can see and hear and feel, trying to quiet his mind and push out the memories of his dream.

“Good evening.”

Aleksander startles at the quiet words, turning to see Aiden standing a few feet away, holding a blanket and watching him with a strangely intense look on his face. Aleksander is startled but not surprised by Aiden’s appearance - it seems the handsome cat Witcher is everywhere Aleksander is these days. Always with a kind gesture or friendly words, making him feel welcome, like Kaer Morhen could be his home. Like he was safe.

But that was the problem, wasn’t it? He wasn’t safe. Far from it.

True to form, Aiden drapes the blanket around Aleksander’s shoulders. It’s only a light blanket, warm enough on this summer’s eve, but it feels impossibly heavy on Aleksander’s shoulders. He closes his eyes and swallows heavily.

“You shouldn’t,” he pauses, can feel Aiden’s puzzled head tilt even if he can’t see it. 

“I don’t deserve it. I’m not… I’m not safe.”

“No one will hurt you here, you’re safe, I promise.”

Aleksander feels the laughter bubble up inside him like madness. He barks out a despairing laugh that is more of a sob.

“No, no, I’m not safe - you’re, you’re not safe from me, your brothers aren’t safe from me, _Livi’s_ not safe, _Milena’s_ not safe! I’m a monster Aiden! I have that monster’s blood in me. He was my grandsire, I came from him, that evil lurks in me!”

His hands have scraped against the rough stone and blood dots the torn skin. He holds it out in front of him, showing Aiden, _look at the poison, look at this tainted blood!_

Aiden looks up from his hands, staring right into his eyes, drawing him in, just as he does every time he looks at him. Aleksander can’t look away. 

“I have literal monster blood inside of me. That’s how they make Witchers, Sasha. The Trials use magics and monster parts and potions to change us, give us the powers we need to defeat real monsters. I’m not human, Sasha.”

“Don’t, that’s, that’s not the same, and you know it!” Aleksander was close to sobbing now, tears running down his cheeks. “You are so good, you do good in this world, it’s a better place for having you, all of you. I’m the monster, you should have —“

“No.” Aiden shook his head firmly and stepped closer, taking Aleksander’s hands and pressing them gently to his chest.

“Never, Sasha, don’t say that.”

Aiden looks at him sadly and Aleksander feels his self-loathing increase. He taints everything.

“Lambert came here quite late as a child, he was almost eight years old when he started training to be a Witcher.”

Aleksander frowns slightly at this non-sequitur.

“He was a Child Surprise, but not before his father first tried to sell him to the Witcher, for only a few orens - enough to buy another night of ale. His father,” Aiden pauses, a dark and painful look flashing across his face, “His father beat the shit out of him nearly every night. His poor mother suffered by his hand too. If that Witcher hadn’t claimed him, there’s no doubt Lambert wouldn’t have survived. His mother didn’t.

“And then they made him a Witcher, Sasha - did monstrous things to him, made him strong and powerful and deadly. A life of violence, of killing things, the ability to take a human life in the blink of an eye.”

Aiden smiles gently.

“He’d be the first person to admit he’s an asshole, but there’s not a cruel bone in that man’s body. He’d never harm a child and you know he’d never lay a hand against Milena.”

Aleksander shakes his head - Aiden is right, Lambert would sooner die than harm Milena, and he’s noticed how Lambert looks out for the trainees.

Aiden removes his hands from where they are holding Aleksander’s, placing them instead over Aleksander’s heart. It’s such a gentle touch, but Aleksander feels warmth seeping into his chest and spreading into the rest of his body.

“That’s no accident, my dear. Lambert is his father’s son, he has that man’s blood in him, he bears the scars from that childhood, but every day he makes a choice. He chooses not to be that monster. He chooses to be kind and loving and good. Just like you did when you chose to write that letter. Just like you do every day, like the wolf you are.”

Aleksander can’t look away from Aiden, held tightly in his sure gaze, the warmth in his chest soothing his stuttering heart. Doubt and fear wars within him, but Aiden is so sure of what he is saying that Aleksander can’t help but follow along.

“You’re safe. I promise.”

How can he argue with this incredible man? The answer is, he can’t. He’s just going to have to live up to Aiden’s expectations. Make the right choices. He laughs and the tension bleeds from his body. Suddenly he is very tired.

Aiden’s hands move from his chest to his shoulders, drawing him into a firm hug. Aleksander nods into Aiden’s shoulder, breathing out in laughter.

“Ok, ok,” he laughs, “you’re right. Thank you.”

Aiden switches to a one armed hug, leading him back inside.

“I know,” he says smugly, “We Cats are known for our intelligence, not like Wolves…”


End file.
